Technology News: Tech Support

Should You Outsource or Keep IT In-House?
July 22, 2009

Maintaining the network. Ensuring remote users have access to resources. Updating virus definitions. Troubleshooting email problems. Any number of IT issues can arise on a daily basis. So does it make sense for small businesses to hire a full-time IT staffer or outsource their IT needs? That depends.

The Wide-Open Career Landscape of FOSS Tech Support
July 22, 2009

The growing popularity of free open source software is a sure sign that consumers and software developers alike are becoming more disenchanted with costly proprietary products. However, the promise of free software can be tarnished when software packages need configuration help and that help proves hard to find.

Windows XP: The Legacy Lives On
June 04, 2009

The end of mainstream support by Microsoft for Windows XP ended on April 14. That deadline came and left with barely an audible groan from the minions of enterprise, small business and consumer users of the decade-old operating system. The steadfast legions of corporate Windows XP users are not facing any dire consequences for not migrating to Windows Vista, however.

FixYa.com Brings Social Networking to Consumer Electronics Help
May 12, 2009

It seemed like a simple enough idea when FixYa.com CEO and founder Yaniv Bensadon sought a solution for consumers caught in the maze of tech support that encompassed nearly every piece of consumer electronics equipment and household appliance on the market. Why not offer a community-based service, not unlike Google Forums or eBay?

Tech Support Forecast: Partly Cloudy
April 23, 2009

Moving a company into cloud computing changes a lot more than just where the servers happen to be located. For instance, tech support might move out the door as well. In some cases, tech support workers may still have their desks, but they will no longer be their company's go-to guys when a problem develops.

Sharing the Load: The Co-Sourced IT Maintenance Operation
March 27, 2009

An October 2008 DLA Piper Technology Leaders Forecast survey talks about the impact of the financial and economic crisis within IT circles. Overall, the survey found that while industry leaders have a host of concerns, they are fundamentally optimistic about future opportunities within technology.

Managing Enterprise Mobility Madness
February 19, 2009

As the handheld mobile device has evolved from pager to cell phone to smartphone to mobile computing asset, enterprise mobility has become increasingly vital to conducting tactical, operational, and strategic business transactions. On top of this, the growth in enterprise mobile adoption, combined with increased device complexity, demands greater IT management and support.

PC Fixer Lassos Customers the Old Fashioned Way: Free Services
October 22, 2008

Getting reliable and reasonably priced tech support for an ailing computer is time-consuming and frustrating. PC users at home, school and work face malfunctions caused by human error, software failure and hardware configuration glitches. On top of these problems are the increasing daily threats posed by malware and virus infections. The typical home or office user has no IT support to rescue them.

Network Access Control: To Security and Beyond
October 13, 2008

For end users, Network Access Control should be transparent, as if it's not there. Depending on a company's internal security policies, systems are checked quietly in the background for their level of compliance. NAC checks for current patch levels and functioning, up-to-date antivirus and personal firewall software.

When Your PC's Ailin', Who Ya Gonna Call?
September 17, 2008

When you buy a PC, chances are darn good that the service package will be neither very convenient nor inexpensive. Most in-home or in-office service plans amount to little more than a local repair shop guy traipsing through your front door on a first-available basis. Even carting the computer to an in-store service center does not guarantee fast or efficient service.

Microsoft Ratchets Up Enterprise Support With High-End Service Plan
August 18, 2008

Microsoft announced its new Microsoft Services Premier Ultimate support service Monday. The new plan joins the Microsoft Services Premiere Support line of offerings with an enterprise-class support system. The Premier Ultimate service bundle is aimed at enterprise customers willing to dig deep to pursue a proactive support strategy concentrated on attaining and maintaining IT health, according to Microsoft.

HP Expands App Bodyguard Service
August 05, 2008

HP announced Monday a new round of open source utilities for data center operators. The expanded portfolio increases support for HP Serviceguard for Linux, HP's clustering and disaster tolerance products, to include Novell Suse and Red Hat Xen virtual machines. HP also introduced its HP Strategy Workshop and Migration Assessment Services. These offerings help to deploy and support OpenLDAP, an open source directory.

Microsoft Answers XP Fans' Outcry With Support Extension
June 24, 2008

Microsoft announced Tuesday that while it will move forward with its plans to discontinue sales of its Windows XP operating system, it will continue to provide support for the software for another six years. Microsoft announced in 2007 that it would extend the sales period for Windows XP until June 30, 2008.

Better Tech Support in 3 Easy Steps, Part 3
June 13, 2008

Now that you've done all this work to improve your technical support team, you need to let your customers know. The sales and marketing teams will do most of the work for you on this. While they may not run a campaign stating, "Hey, our support doesn't stink anymore," they do have a ton of automated messages and informal scripts that they can insert little announcements into.

SAP's Product Communities: Taking Cues From Open Source
June 12, 2008

Despite repeated pleas of "Do you hear me now?" from customers the world over, few companies have done much more than turn a deaf ear. As a result, consumer frustration is at an all-time high while brand loyalty has hit an all-time low. The technologies that were supposed to open lines of communication across many channels merely cut the line on all conduits.

Better Tech Support in 3 Easy Steps, Part 2
June 06, 2008

How well does it normally work when you tell someone to do something? It depends upon your relationship to that person. A complete stranger will ignore you. An acquaintance might tell you "no" before they ignore you. A friend will probably explain to you why they aren't going to do what you told them. A sibling will hit you. Your spouse will laugh.